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Selfish Machines
Selfish Machines is the second studio album from post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil, released by Equal Vision on June 22, 2010. It was produceed by Vic Fuentes and Mike Green, and recorded between late 2009 and early 2010. Ex-A Day to Remember guitarist Tom Denney co-wrote with Fuentes a majority of the songs, as well as some of the music. Another A Day to Remember member, vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, guested on the track "Caraphernelia", which was released as a single on September 28. "Bulletproof Love" was released as the follow-up single on July 7, 2011. Although the album was met with a varied critical reception, with reviewers criticizing the use of auto-tune on the tracks, it appeared on several American Billboard charts, including its Top Heatseekers and 200 chart. The album was reissued, with remixed production, on September 24, 2013. Background and Recording Pierce the Veil had been recording, demoing and writing new material, at a home studio in San Diego, since they finished the 2009 Taste of Chaos Tour. In an interview with AbsolutePunk in early 2009, guitarist and vocalist Vic Fuentes said the band's next album would be "completely inspired by our fans." Fuentes also said in the interview that he was not certain when the album would be released, and adding that it would be published by record label Equal Vision. Selfish Machines, along with the band's next album C''ollide with the Sky'' (2012), was written in a cabin that belonged to Fearless Records president Bob Becker. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Mike Green during December 2009 and January 2010, with a planned release in 2010. Green was chosen as the choice of producer as previous albums he has worked on "sound amazing", as Fuentes commented, and that he was "a very down to earth and passionate person." It was revealed on December 27, 2009 that Mike Fuentes had recorded all the drum tracks in one day. By January 11, 2010, the vocals and keyboard tracks had yet to be recorded and that the music for the songs were finished. A studio update posted on February 17 mentioned that Fuentes was still working on the album, and a couple of days later he said there would be "8 days left of recording vocals". Fuentes later said he wasn't going to be recording in Los Angeles again as there "were a lot of distractions that we didn't need." Shortly after finishing the recording process, the band contributed a cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" to the P''unk Goes Classic Rock'' (2010) compilation. Before release, "The Boy Who Could Fly" was available for streaming on the band's MySpace account, and for free download from their PureVolume account, on May 10. Music and lyrics The theme of this album talks about these natural thoughts and feelings to want and take–the desire to be in love and the desperation for someone else to love you. – Vic Fuentes, on the album's overall lyrical content, 2010 The majority of the songs featured on Selfish Machines were written between Fuentes and exA Day to Remember guitarist, Tom Denney; the pair also worked on the music for "The Boy Who Could Fly", "Disasterology" and "The Sky Under the Sea". Tracks 1–6 The music for "Besitos" shows off the band's Latin influence, and the lyrics describe Fuentes' relationship with a girl, from her point of view, who he "couldn't stop hurting over and over again." "The Boy Who Could Fly" was originally 6 minutes in length, but the intro was split off as a separate track, "Southern Constellations", because of its length. "Southern Constellations" is about Fuentes' fascination with southern girls. Fuentes called the guitar tone as "one of my favorite tones" from the album, which was made using a Stratocaster through a custom-made amplifier making the "glassy and unique sound we were looking for". "The Boy Who Could Fly" showed off the band's punk roots that has a hastily played guitar "representing everything that we loved playing as kids." The lyrics are about a relationship reliant on the other person with "obsession and desperation, and the stupid things you do when you're in love." The track was "craziest, most intense song" that Fuentes has written. "Caraphernelia" came around based on Fuentes' ex-girlfriend Cara, who left her possessions at his house, which made Fuentes thinking about her when he saw them. Before adding the title, Fuentes sent the lyrics to Cara, who "was actually very flattered by the whole thing". As soon as he started writing the music for the chorus, Fuentes knew he wanted A Day to Remember's vocalist Jeremy McKinnon to appear on the song, asking him several weeks later. McKinnon screamed the chorus and bridge sections, which made the collaboration "very special" to Fuentes. Fuentes called "Fast Times at Clairemont High" as a "very selfish song", dealing "with human nature and our selfish tendencies", and including musical influences of Michael Jackson. "The New National Anthem" is about one night while Fuentes was visiting a girl and they were making out in the dark in her apartment. The intro was recorded at Fuentes' apartment and pieces of that recording were used throughout the album. Tracks 7–12 "Bulletproof Love" is a song based on Fuentes' interest "with happy songs that have morbid lyrics", calling it "one of the darkest" he's written. Written in the style of suicide note that would be found by a loved one, the lyrics are about being passionate "with someone to the point where you're hurting yourself." "Stay Away from My Friends" is about an ex-girlfriend who was trying to be friends with Fuentes' friends, after the pair had broken-up. The piano featured on the song was played by his friend Dave Yaden, and was written by Fuentes in his residence of San Diego. The song came about by the band wanting to "make it as different as possible from the rest" of the material, placed in "the middle of the album as a sort of a breath of fresh air." A majority of the lyrics for "I Don't Care If You're Contagious" were inspired by a female fan telling Fuentes that her boyfriend was involved in a fatal car crash. The song was written "as a gift" to the fan, from the point of view of the boyfriend "speaking to her, telling her that he is still watching over her and that he will love her forever." "Disasterology" is "a typical guy's dream" of girls, going out drinking and living the life somebody wants. The chorus was "a very philosophical idea that I've played around with for a long time", the creation of "something beautiful only to destroy it." Fuentes wrote "Million Dollar Houses (The Painter)" as "a gift to my parents". Fuentes' father worked as a painting contractor, barely earning, throughout his life, enough money to keep the family going and being forced to sell his home. The song "strongly expresses my hatred for money and the way it sometimes fucks with people's lives and families." "The Sky Under the Sea" admits oneself is selfish when it comes with "love and taking what you want without regret." The "I am the selfish machine" lyric is a reference to the animal instinct that everyone has and won't admit to exists. Track Listing #Besitos - 4:22 #Southern Constellations - 1:05 #The Boy Who Could Fly - 4:18 #Caraphernelia - 4:28 #Fast Times at Clairemont High - 4:01 #The New National Anthem - 4:00 #Bulletproof Love - 3:57 #Stay Away from My Friends - 4:41 #I Don't Care If You're Contagious - 3:24 #Disasterology - 3:26 #Million Dollar Houses (The Painter) - 4:01 #The Sky Under the Sea - 4:36 Personnel ;Pierce the Veil *Vic Fuentes — lead vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, keyboards, lap steel, drums, percussion, beats, composer *Jaime Preciado — bass guitar, programming, composer *Tony Perry — guitars, acoustic guitars, composer *Mike Fuentes — drums Pierce The Veil *A Flair for the Dramatic *Selfish Machines *Collide with the Sky Category:Albums